Category Archives: Music

December 10, 2011 · 5:24 pm

My Favorite Gifts – Christmas Album

I often measure music by its ability to transport me to another place, whether it be traveling back through my memories or somewhere I’ve never been.  By this measure, among others, the music on My Favorite Gifts – Christmas Album is some of the best I’ve heard in a long while.

Upon first listen I was transported from neighborhood streets once alive with song and spirit to the lonely muddy banks of the Mississippi, from an upbeat Mexican celebration to the birthplace of Jesus, and from a smokey Irish pub in New York City to the bedroom of a little boy too eager to sleep on Christmas Eve.  Lyrically, each song touches on different elements of the season, including introspective reflection on the past, jovial celebration of holiday traditions, hopefulness, goodwill to man, the blessings of Jesus Christ, and even the role of organized religion in the commercialization of Christmas.

Released last month, My Favorite Gifts brings together the musical talents and creativity of Overmountain Men, The Avett Brothers, The David Wax Museum, Jim Avett, siblings David and Jessica Lea Mayfield, Paleface, Nick and the Babes, Mark Crozer, and The Wood Brothers.  This compilation leaves behind the overdone holiday standards and treats our ears to unique interpretations of those not-so-well-known songs, in addition to a few original pieces.

The idea for this album was born from a conversation between Bob Crawford (The Avett Brothers) and Dolph Ramseur (Ramseur Records) on December 26, 2009.  Crawford, who shared his thoughts via email, recalled the conversation.

“I knew at some point we (The Avett Brothers) would be asked to be involved in a Christmas album.  I wanted us to do it ourselves and with our friends first.  Dolph immediately said that it needed to be a project for charity.  At the time, our good friend and Avett tour manager Dane Honeycutt’s mother Vickie was fighting breast cancer.  Sadly, a few months later Vickie passed away and we knew then that we were going to direct the charity towards some cancer fighting organization,” he wrote.

Musicians quickly signed on to the charitable project.  Crawford and Ramseur, who produced the album together, encouraged artists to choose songs that were special and intimate to them.  This approach fostered the creation of a purely eclectic and original collection of Christmas music.

When I first listened to the album in its entirety I was immediately taken by how different the songs were stylistically.  Instantly, I could hear the care that was taken to choose songs that expressed each artist’s or group’s feelings about Christmas.  I wondered how the artists came to choose or write their songs.  To my delight and appreciation, most of the contributing musicians shared thoughts about the creative process with me via email.

David Childers on his song Rambling Door to Door:   “The subject of Rambling Door To Door is the group of boys I used to get together with on Christmas Eve to go caroling.  We were not the most well behaved, but we all loved it.  The character singing in the song is looking back almost 50 years to his youth.  He sees what was then, and he sees what is now.  The now is not as nice a place, but he can still sing to himself if no one else wants it.  There’s a joy in singing, but even more so in singing those songs that are of a short season or time.”

David Mayfield on On Christmas Eve: “It was a real treat and an honor being invited to be a part of My Favorite Gifts.  I’ve always wanted to do something for the holidays, but was sure I couldn’t do a standard any better than Bing [Crosby], so I was floored when Bob Crawford suggested John Hartford’s On Christmas Eve.  I’ve always loved that song and never would have thought of recording it.”

David Wax on La Rama: “The David Wax Museum delves into American and Mexican folk traditions.  We thought it would be a great addition to the Christmas record to take an unknown Christmas song from Mexico and arrange a bi-lingual version of it.  There’s a centuries-old custom of musicians carrying a Christmas branch (“La Rama”) between houses and playing this particular song in exchange for food and tips.”

Nick Bailey on Christmas Time is Here:  “Bob approached me and said he would like to produce a track for Nick and the Babes on the album.  The arrangement of the song is actually for a bunch of little kids singing.  It’s really high-pitched, so we had to do a different arrangement, but I still wanted it to sound like the song and be recognizable.  I picked the song because it has always been one of my favorites.  It is more of a sad and lonely, reflective song.  I think that when people get older, Christmas takes on a different meaning.  Sometimes it becomes more reflective…thinking less about presents and more about family.”

Jim Avett on writing The Brightest Star:  “I wrote The Brightest Star because I thought everybody else was going to write an original!  I had not preconceived anything…it just sort of came out.  I have a lot of gospel in my background so naturally the song reflects my feelings that all gospel, including Christmas carols, should be theologically correct, which I think this one is.”

Paleface on Fairytale of New York:  “Bob Crawford called me when we were recording our album One Big Party and asked if I wanted to be a part of a Christmas compilation that he was putting together.  I said of course and in my mind flashed on the Pogues song, Fairytale of New York.  It’s always been one of the best and most under-appreciated Christmas songs I’ve ever heard.  He asked me to think about what song I might want to do and we hung up.  When we spoke for the second time about what song I remember [Crawford] saying, ‘Dolph and I thought it would be great if you did Fairytale,’ without me having mentioned it to him yet so that was all I needed.  We had Stuart from Bombadil join us and had a fun afternoon recording it.  I remember saying that everybody should just relax and have fun cause ‘this song is so good its hard to mess up’.”

Mark Crozer on writing Next Christmas:  “The song itself has quite a long history.  I came up with the melody for it when I was briefly living in New York just after Christmas 2008. Then it sat around for a year before I was sitting down one day thinking I’d really like to write a Christmas song.  It’s been a crazy fantasy since I was a kid to have a festive hit in the charts that gets brought out year after year and becomes part of the Christmas tradition.  In the UK, where I’m originally from, the Christmas single is quite a big deal.  So, as I was sitting there I suddenly remembered the tune I’d written a year earlier and the words just came out in one go the way they do on occasion.  I wanted to write something that reflected the hope for better times ahead that I think everyone feels at this time of year.  It is a very hopeful song, but laced with a little of the irony that we Brits love so much.”

Crawford on I Thank God and more:  “Seth [Avett] heard it from a Sam Cooke recording. We had already kicked around the idea of other, more traditional songs.  I Thank God is very unique while maintaining one of the key themes of the Christmas season which is thankfulness for the blessings of God.  I am also honored to work with the Overmountain Men.  David Childers is one of the greatest song writers of our time. I think he and Jim Avett could write an album of Christmas songs that would redefine the genre.”

The creative process of writing or adapting, and recording holiday favorites for My Favorite Gifts was augmented by the fact that the album would contribute to a cause much larger than those involved.  Many of the artists tied to this project were close friends to Vickie Honeycutt and remain close to her family.  So it seemed only fitting when Crawford and Ramseur decided that all album profits would be donated directly to the Vickie Honeycutt Foundation.

The Vickie Honeycutt Foundation, which was formed shortly after her passing, honors “a woman who served as a beacon of compassion for so many.”  Honeycutt, a graduate of UNC-Greensboro, taught at Mt. Pleasant High School in her native Cabarrus County for 32 years, and was known for her caring nature and dedication to help others succeed.  According to the website, the foundation’s goal is to provide assistance to “teachers and educators battling cancer so that their sole focus can be on recovery.”  With charity at the forefront, several artists openly expressed what it meant to work on such a special project.

Mo, drummer for Paleface, responded, “It’s pretty awesome to get to be on the same album with so many greats, and it’s a true honor to get to celebrate with them the memory and life of a dear friend’s mom who was so sweet and caring to all.”

Suz Slezak of The David Wax Museum echoed Mo’s sentiments.

“It’s always special to have the opportunity to support causes we care about with our music. We were also touched to be included in such a stellar line-up of bands, many of whom we listen to on a regular basis,” she wrote.

Mark Crozer, who is likely a new name for fans of this grouping of artists, was also very moved by the direction and purpose of the album.

“When I learned that it was to be a charity album for such a good cause  I was even keener to be involved.  Teaching has been in my family for generations and I have dabbled myself.  I’ve also lost friends and family to cancer so I wanted to do something to help raise funds for projects that support people living with cancer.  I think the Vickie S. Honeycutt Foundation is a truly wonderful organization, and I’m so thrilled to be part of this project.  It’s also a thrill for me to be in such distinguished company as The Avett Brothers, Jessica Lea Mayfield, The Wood Brothers and David [Childers] of course.  It’s a great album and pretty diverse which makes it even more interesting,” Crozer wrote.

As a “lifelong friend” of Vickie’s, Jim Avett was “honored to be a part of anything to do with her and her family” as well as “to be included in a compilation CD with such talented creative people.”

Collectively, My Favorite Gifts is a wonderful work of art that will please the senses, revive the true spirit of Christmas, and benefit those in need well into the future.  It is a Christmas album with far more substance than Santa, making it easy to enjoy all year-long.  It is a must-have so please visit your local record store or amazon.com/iTunes to purchase My Favorite Gifts for yourself and your loved ones.

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December 6, 2011 · 9:42 pm

Pixies’ Dootlittle: Lost Cities Tour takes on Greensboro, NC

The recently reunited enigma that is the Pixies embarked on their highly anticipated US Doolittle ‘Lost Cities’ Tour this past month.  The premise of this reunion tour was to perform in cities where they had never performed, and to play their most popular album “Doolittle” in its entirety.  Chosen cities were partially based on fan input, and Greensboro was the only one in North Carolina to make the cut.

On November 8th, fans came out to the War Memorial Auditorium in Greensboro to experience perhaps their first and potentially last live Pixies show.  The audience was peppered with a handful of college-aged fans, but the majority was made up of men and women who were likely college-aged when the Pixies came together as a band in the late 1980’s.  It was during this pre-Nirvana era that the Pixies hit their musical stride and began to influence the evolution of rock and roll.   Over the years that followed, they developed a cult following despite their short stint at the top.  That night in Greensboro many of their original fans, now in their thirties and forties, brought along their own teenaged kids so that they too experience the Pixies.

The show kicked-off with an eerie black and white movie played on the stage’s backdrop.  Jerky images reminiscent of old horror films flashed onscreen before the crowd, who was by that time on standing and eagerly awaiting the band’s entrance.  When Black Francis (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim Deal (bass and vocals), and David Lovering (drums) took the stage, the entire auditorium erupted.  With what seemed to be a permanent smile, Deal took the lead as emcee between songs with her own quirky style.  The boys didn’t add much to the between songs banter, unless provoked by Deal.

After playing a few B-side songs, they proceeded into “Doolittle”.  Favorites like, Here Comes Your Man, La La Love You, and Hey sparked audience participation.  The wave of bobbing heads in the crowd pulsed in time with Deals’ bass lines as Francis let out his patented frenetic and powerful screaming vocals.  These beautiful outbursts were carefully counterbalanced by Deal’s airy and angelic back-up vocals.  Projected animated images and text, and timed stage lighting changes throughout the show created an experience that likened itself to a type of musical purgatory, keeping the audience stuck somewhere between a dream and a nightmare.

The Pixies finished their “Doolittle” set and gave a somewhat believable on-stage farewell, complete with bows and waves into the balcony.  After a good five minutes of chanting and clapping from the crowd the Pixies returned for two encore sets, which included a total fog white-out version of Into the White.

Despite the band’s well documented struggles over the past few decades and the fact that they haven’t released a new album in years, their musical cohesiveness on stage remains intact and impressive.  Their performance in Greensboro was energetic and euphoric, and left fans pondering the notion that maybe, just maybe, the Pixies will start making music together again someday soon.

Check out more pictures from the show here.

To learn more about the Pixies and their music, visit www.pixiesmusic.com.

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October 31, 2011 · 8:45 am

October Music Mindblower: Family of Fans

Music connects us all

In my 23 years of concert going, I never really looked at shows as opportunities to connect with fellow fans and make friends.  If anything, I may have fantasized about meeting the band members and becoming one of their dearest friends, therefore being forever catapulted out of the land of groupies.  This thought process began at the tender age of 11 when my friend Angi and I made a sign for our first concert – New Kids on the Block.  The sign, which read “We Love Joe”, came fully equipped with our phone numbers on the back (house land line back in the day) and a request for Joe to “give us a call to hang out.”  After displaying our masterpiece throughout the entire show, we proceeded to ask a security guard to bring it back stage and deliver it to the young Joey McIntyre.  He said he would, and we believed him.  I’d say we waited for a good three months by our phones, but to our dismay Joey never called.

Despite the lack of follow through on Mr. McIntyre’s end, my will was not destroyed.  Over the next 22 years, I did my fair share of trying to meet various artists from Green Day to Dave Matthews Band.  Some attempts were successful, some partially successful (getting acknowledge with a wave through a window), and others just didn’t pan out.  Not until recently has my attention on making connections shifted to include the fans that surround me at shows.  Enjoying music is no longer an individual experience, but rather one that includes my immediate family of fans.  This is especially true when the band’s performance is a direct reflection of the energy they are getting from the crowd.  Whether waiting outside the gates to hear a sound check or sprinting to be front row at a general admission show, we are all there because the music moves us, inspires us, and makes our lives better.  These are powerful emotions that also apply to friendships, so why not share the experience with strangers at a show!?  Smile, dance, and sing together and you  just may leave the show with some new friends.

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October 6, 2011 · 4:27 pm

September Music Mindblower

Got Spotify?

Every now and then some geek in a cubicle comes up with a genius way to improve how we find and listen to music online.  Several years ago, Pandora was launched and everyone was blown away by the ability to create personalized music stations to stream through computers at work and home.  Although a little late to jump on the bandwagon, I tried my hand at Pandora.   I enjoyed it initially but quickly got tired of the program picking out songs that it thought I would like based on my station artists.  My cyber-relationship with Pandora slowly faded.

And then about two months ago I received an invite from The Avett Brothers through Facebook to try Spotify.  Well if The Avett Brothers are on board with Spotify, it must be pretty cool right!?  So I gave the free version a shot and was instantly impressed by its sleek appearance and ease of use.  While I still haven’t completely explored everything that Spotify has to offer, I can tell you this – it allows me to listen to what I want to listen to without some program telling me what I might like.   No longer do I have to skip a song or give it a thumbs down.  I haven’t run into any restrictions yet.  I make a playlist of basically ANY song I want and I have the freedom to listen to that over and over and over again, with very few commercial interruptions.  Spotify also imports all of your iTunes music into its Library so that you can add them easily to your playlists.  If you want to upgrade for $9.99/month, you ditch the commercials and get to take your playlists with you!  You can share your playlists with friends on Facebook and also use Spotify on your phone (if it’s compatible).  Spotify also has its own radio stations based on music genres, so if you are missing a little bit of that Pandora magic, you can still hang on to the past without being limited by the number of “skipped songs” you are allowed per listening session.

In the end, the tool has been improved and I am sure it will be improved again in a few years.  Until then, I am a Spotifier through and through!  Give it a try!

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September 2, 2011 · 8:45 pm

Tim Reynolds Finds New Inspiration in North Carolina’s Outer Banks

Reynolds and Matthews

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds returned to their old stomping grounds in August to play to a sold-out, exuberant crowd at nTelos Wireless Pavilion in Charlottesville, VA.  Proceeds from ticket sales were donated by the fans to various charities through JustGive.org, a website that supports nearly 1.8 million nonprofit organizations.

Thousands of fans, both inside and outside the Pavilion’s confines, enjoyed over 3 hours of acoustic entertainment and storytelling by Matthews and Reynolds, along with a special guest appearance by Asheville’s own legendary guitarist Warren Haynes.  The charitable evening of musical mastery was complimented by the peaceful and jovial mood of the fans, who relished in favorites such as Jimi Thing, #41, My Baby Blue, and Two Step.

A few days prior to the event, I caught up with Reynolds to discuss the show, his music, and adjusting to life in the Outer Banks of NC.

Reynolds, who has paired up with Matthews for multiple benefit shows over the years, was glad to be a part of the Charlottesville event, and appreciated that fans had an active role in the donation process.

“I think it’s pretty cool because people can donate to the charity of their choice, so that funds get spread out more to the smaller charities,” Reynolds said.

Over the years, Reynolds’ performances have benefited global organizations like China Care and Middle East Child Alliance.  However, he also makes great efforts to donate his talents and money to smaller, local charities throughout the Outer Banks.

In 2007, Reynolds left his home in New Mexico and moved to the Outer Banks with his family.  While topographically much different from NM, the eastern shore of NC has provided Reynolds with fresh inspiration and a new environment for songwriting.

“It took me a little while to adjust, but once I finally realized that the beach was only a 15 minute walk from my house, I felt more at ease.  There is always something here to inspire me and make me feel alive,” he said.

When it comes to songwriting, Reynolds often uses the natural environment to fuel his creativity.

“As far as songwriting, some songs take a long time, while others just come to me quickly.  The other day, I was walking on the beach and thought of an idea and just recorded it right into my iPhone.  I thought that was pretty amazing,” he said.

Shortly after moving to NC, Reynolds met local bassist Mick Vaughn and drummer Dan Martier.  After playing together a few times, Reynolds decided it was time to resurrect his old band TR3 with Vaughn and Martier as new members.  Collectively, their gritty electric sounds have developed into a melding of rock, funk, and jazz that is sure to bring down the house.  Between touring small venues across the US, TR3 recorded and released a studio album entitled Radiance, and just recently a live two-disc album entitled From SPACE and Beyond.  Reynolds shared his delight in creating and playing music with Vaughn and Martier.

“I usually bring a song idea to the guys and we start practicing it.  As we practice it gets tweaked and changes, so it’s a fun process.  Every year we play more gigs and get more in tune as a band.  There has been a more consistent effort this time around.  We have the same steady personnel so it is like a real band thing and it evolves in its own way,” he said.

In 2010, Reynolds also released The Limbic System, a solo acoustic album that took him over two years to complete.  The title, which references the center for memory and emotion in the brain, is fitting for the two-disc collection of instrumental and vocal arrangements all written and performed by Reynolds.

“It was a labor of total love and joy to do.  There were a lot of feelings in those recordings.  It was very intimate and even though there are some mistakes in there, when it was done it felt like a big Ahhhh for me.  It was a musical statement from the heart and soul,” he said.

Whether Reynolds is solo or on stage with TR3 or the Dave Matthews Band, he continues to surprise his fans by mastering new interpretations of sound, making each experience unique and special for the audience.

To find out more about Reynolds’ music and tour schedule, please visit www.timreynolds.com.

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August 24, 2011 · 10:44 am

August Music Mindblower

photo by Jonathan Furmanski

Band documentaries give us fans an intimate glimpse into the daily lives of our favorite artists, and allow us to feel a little bit closer to knowing them personally.  Whether on tour, in the studio, or at home, these behind-the-scene videos can represent artists as being “just one of us” or perpetuate the notion that they are larger than life.  I recently watched a documentary about the Pixies reunion in 2004, nearly 10 years after their sudden breakup.  While I am moderately familiar with their story and music, this movie candidly revealed the waxing and waning dysfunction that underlies the group’s impressive cohesiveness on stage and unyielding fan appeal.  Interviews in separate hotel rooms and tour buses drove home the fact that these 4 artists have little to nothing in common minus the fact that they once wrote songs together.  Now they just perform together and then go their separate ways.  As I watched I began to feel emotionally connected to their stories, almost sorry for them.  I suppose that was the whole premise of the documentary, so BRAVO to the directors!  Thanks to them, I am a bit more prepared now for my first Pixies concert in November!

FYI: Netflix has a ton of music docs that can be streamed with just the click of a remote control button. Check them out!     

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July 19, 2011 · 2:23 pm

July’s Music Mindblower

Beach Blanket Boom Box

Remember when you loaded your sweet boom-box up with 8 D batteries and lugged it down to the beach so that you could listen to your favorite jams while getting your Hawaiian Tropic SPF 4 tanning oil covered body just one more shade darker?  Ah, those were the days.  With Summer now in full swing, I can’t help but look back on those beach days when all you needed was a towel and some tunes.  In honor of those lazy days in the sand, sun, and surf, I have put together a few playlists with some of my old and new favorites.  Enjoy and share some of your favorites, too!

Bypass Backspin (songs of my youth)

–Summertime: DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince

–Scenario: A Tribe Called Quest

–Hip-hop Junkies: Nice and Smooth

–Saturday: De La Soul

–Rebirth of Slick (Cool like Dat): Digable Planets

–Passin’ me by: Pharcyde

–Vivrant Thing: Q-Tip

–Here Come the Lords: Lords of the Underground

–Born to Roll: Master Ace

–Posse on Broadway: Sir-Mix-A-Lot

–Get it Together: Beastie Boys

–Country Grammar: Nelly

–Around the Way Girl: LL Cool J

–Party Up: DMX

–Deja Vu: Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz

–Everyday People: Arrested Development

–Misterdobalina: Del Tha Funky Homosapien

–Breathe: Fabulous

Where the Road Ends (songs of my no-so-youth)

–Awake my Body: Alexander

–Windows are Rolled Down: Amos Lee

–Daydreaming: Middle Brother

–Sydney (I’ll Come Running): Brett Dennen

–Once and Future Carpenter: The Avett Brothers

–Old Before Your Time: Ray Lamontagne

–Cornbread and Butterbeans: Carolina Chocolate Drops

–Rebel Side of Heaven: Langhorne Slim

–Getting Over Your Love: Holy Ghost Tent Revival

–Raise a Rukus: Old Crow Medicine Show

–Time Spent in Los Angeles: Dawes

–Little Silver Ring: The Samples (an oldie but a goodie)

–Lost in my Mind: The Head and the Heart

–My Baby Don’t Lie: Nicole Atkins

–Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa: Vampire Weekend

–Marlene: Lightspeed Champion

–Breath of Love: David Mayfield Parade

–At the Beach: The Avett Brothers

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July 13, 2011 · 7:48 pm

Them boys from the ‘Boro – Holy Ghost Tent Revival

So Long I Screamed

The buzz had gotten too loud to ignore any longer.  So, when Holy Ghost Tent Revival came through Greenville, NC for an encore show at The Tipsy Teapot, I decided it was time to see what the buzz was all about.

Prior to seeing them live, I already knew that they had some good things going for them.  First, being a loud and rowdy, harmony-heavy band of strings, keys, percussion and brass bodes well in these parts.  Second, their music has been previously described as a mixing of radio stations across the dial minus the static (Salisbury Post, 2008) indicative of a cohesive melding of eclectic musical styles and tastes.  They have also made quite an impression on what is believed to be one of the toughest fan bases to crack…The Avett Nation.  Best known for their unyielding devotion to The Avett Brothers and sometimes blind discrimination against anything non-Avett, these fans have adopted HGTR as one of their own, and have even gone so far as to create multiple Facebook pages to petition for the two bands to one day share the same stage.  So far, no dice but hope is still alive.

Since their inception in 2007, HGTR has embarked on a similar path to that of The Avett Brothers, busking on street corners, living out of a tour van, playing show after show and sharing their music with anyone who will listen.  Over the years, they have worked on polishing their sound while keeping the process as organic as possible.  In charting their course and expanding their musical wingspan, they have carved out a genre and following all their own.

A band of brothers in the figurative sense, most members of HGTR began playing together while attending  Greensboro College.  The remaining members were carefully hand-picked and tacked on over time to make the band’s sound complete.  To date, they have released three albums and an unmixed collection of songs entitled “The Living Room Sessions” which is only available at their live shows.  The song writing process is a group effort for HGTR, and the product is an evolving creature with characteristic sounds, ideas, and experiences from each band member.  Often times, what  is heard on the studio album matures into an even better version on stage.

Their sound is nearly impossible to define, and that is how HGTR prefers it.  In listening to their songs, one can pick up tones of rock, bluegrass, folk, punk, jazz, ragtime, Broadway, Motown, country, ska, and pop, just to name a few.  A box that fits that cornucopia of sounds doesn’t exist, which may be why they have yet to be signed by a major record label.  Unfortunately, music executives don’t tend to see dollar signs when they hear unique, well-written music.  Undoubtedly, HGTR’s time to shine is on the horizon, and the right record label will get a hold of these boys and let them do what they do best – write great music and put on frantic, unforgettable live shows.

Speaking of live shows…let’s head back to The Tipsy Teapot.  Because the of buzz around HGTR I decided to arrive with plenty of time before the show to grab a beer and get a good spot in the cafe’s side room.  My friend and I sat down and quickly noticed HGTR members wandering through the side room trying to find something to do before they went on stage.  I struck up a conversation with Ross (drums) and Charlie (trumpet) who were happy to chat with a potential new fan.  We talked about previous shows in eastern NC, recent sessions with the Live and Breathing crew, and the idea of opening up for The Avett Brothers in Greensboro in October.  As people began to fill in, Stephen (banjo, guitar, vocals) meandered through the crowd to visit with friends and fans, both old and new.

Before even taking the stage, these young men showed themselves to be down-to-earth, friendly, and grateful people who clearly enjoyed the band/fan interaction, as it added to their overall experience of the night.  Performing isn’t simply about going through the motions on stage, but rather feeding off of and contributing to the energy of the entire evening.  They give we take and vice versa.  Similar to their collective songwriting process, everyone contributes to the final product.

After Possum Jenkins Band finished their set, HGTR crammed themselves (minus Hank) and equipment onto Tipsy’s small stage.  Eager teenage fans with “Holy Ghost Tent Revival” scribbled in Sharpie on their bodies crowded the floor at the front of the stage.  The older fans, equally excited, were scattered through the crowd and congregated back by the bar.  One woman, likely in her 60’s, was so excited to hear HGTR again because she loves “good rock-n-roll and them boys from Greensboro know how to play great music.”  She continued to imitate them jumping up and down on stage.

“Just wait, you will see.  They jump up and down on stage.  It’s great!,” she said with a smile that beamed as if they were her own children.

I took my spot stage left and watched the performance as it began to unfold.   Kevin was on the keys, Ross on drums, Stephen on the banjo/guitar, PJ on bass, and Matt on guitar, and Charlie on trumpet.  Throughout the set-list of favorites like,  Hammer Fell, Lovinman, Walking Over my Grave, and Down the Street, the energy grew and sure enough the jumping began, so much so that I wasn’t sure the tiny stage could handle it.  Thankfully it held its own.

They sang and played while throwing their bodies around each beat, creating the image and sound of a runaway freight train coming straight at the audience.  HGTR pieced together snippets from all of the previously mentioned genres and turned out an upbeat and enjoyable sound that had fans, young and old, dancing and singing along.  The passion in their sweat drenched faces never waned as they connected over and over with the audience.

The word ‘harmony’ often conjures up images of something sweet and airy, but that is not the image that HGTR wanted to convey.  Rather, PJ sang harmonies so hard that his faces often turned various shades of scarlet, veins and muscle striations bulged from his neck, and he oftentimes appeared as if he were angry or even in pain.  Despite his strained appearance, PJ’s effortlessly added crisp harmonies that perfectly complemented Stephen’s lead vocals.

Overall, it was obvious that HGTR loves what they do, and they do it well.  They were successful in creating a jovial and eclectic musical experience unlike any other.  Stephen, PJ, and Kevin ended the evening with a powerful acapella performance on the back outdoor patio surrounded and supported by their appreciative fans.

That evening at The Tipsy Teapot in Greenville, NC the buzz around Holy Ghost Tent Revival grew a little bit louder.

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July 1, 2011 · 11:49 am

Mountain Jam Interview: Scott Avett

photo by Lucky Soul Photography (c)

Note: I was given the opportunity to write a short article for The Daily Reflector (Greenville, NC). While it’s hard to fit a 15 minute interview into a 600-800 word piece, I did my best and sent it on to the editor. Here it is: Mixer article.

However, here is the interview in its entirety, because it deserves to be shared!

Prior to tearing up the stage with a rowdy, boot stompin’ performance at this year’s Mountain Jam festival, Scott Avett (of The Avett Brothers) sat down with me to talk about the festival experience, staying “green” on tour, giving back, their next album, and surprisingly his love for John Oates. Scott began by talking fondly about his time at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC:

Scott: Greenville is really special to me. I learned a lot in Greenville…the hard way.

Me: You still have some connections there in the art department, right?

Scott: Yeah, I still go work in the printing department and still keep in touch with some of the professors.

Me: Well that’s nice. I am sure they appreciate that.

Scott: Yeah, me too, because with the painting and everything, that is still very much a part of what I do and I could use the inspiration.

Me: So in the last Crackerfarm video of you in the ECU print shop, what were those funny hats?

Scott: (laughs) Those were just pirate hats that somebody brought in and we just threw them on!

Me: That’s funny. So this is your second year at Mountain Jam?

Scott: It is, it is, yeah. It seems like no time passed at all.

Me: In planning your tour, what makes you decide to come back to the same festival year after year? Is it the feel of the festival or timing?

Scott: Timing is good. And you know, festivals are good because they add a lot of variety to the schedule. So, anything from stage, feel, to demographics. We really have been to a lot of places and it’s odd how different the festivals are. Sometimes that [demographic] reaction can sort of spawn an energy that’s good that you want to go recreate or take it to the next step.

(Side note: We were nicely interrupted by a massage therapist who was going around telling all of the artists about the free massage tent. Scott laughed and said, “Oh man, y’all must have heard about me…must of heard about how bad of shape I’m in.” He graciously thanked (of course) her and we continued on…)

Me: What was your first impression of Mountain Jam last year?

Scott: You know this is a raw festival. I think its placement and its area is so rich in history with Dylan and Levon Helm and everything. So that bodes well for it and adds to the energy. There’s no doubt about it. But last year our experience was very raw, very ruckus and fun…dusty…sweaty!

Me: That’s good! It’s a little different from playing somewhere like Bojangles Coliseum.

Scott: Yeah, well this time of year the festivals can get that way, and they are good. It’s good for us! I definitely prefer them at this point. I’ve gone through stages where the theaters are where you want to be in the presentation of what you are doing, but I am a little more fly by night right now in the way I feel a show should be. So these festivals are a little better and a little more spontaneous.

Me: Do you guys get to enjoy the other artists or is it all business?

Scott: No, but we have friends that will be here that we will perform with and interact with and get to see, but (leaning forward and looking out the tent) I see a band over there playing and that’s about as close as I’ll get.

Me: Grace Potter and Nicole Atkins will be here tomorrow, but you wont get to see them?

Scott: No, but Nicole will be around today (with a sheepish grin)

Me: Oh, so maybe we will get a little special treat for later!?

Scott: Yeah, maybe.

(Side note: Sadly Nicole’s guitarist was ill and she didn’t arrive in time to play with The Avett Brothers. I think all parties involved were sad!)

photo by Lucky Soul Photography (c)

Me: So, I have been to a few festivals and they all seem to have a different feel. The feeling I get from Mountain Jam is geared towards educating the audience about environmental issues, and not necessarily picking artists because of their “environmental” message, but probably picking artists who feel that is important. Is that important to you and the rest of the band when you come to a music festival?

Scott: Yes, it is. It is important to keep “it” (being environmentally minded) right before you instead of getting too worldly to where it’s overwhelming. You know, you are going through the day and you could recycle one bottle, so it’s just one little step at a time. I think it’s important not to get too caught up with the “big picture” as this one fell swooping.

Me: Do you guys have rules on the tour bus for living “green”?

Scott: We all know that [being green] is the best way, but sometimes survival just can’t…if you let your principles get in the way of your product, your quality, your life, it might…it might be…suicide (chuckles).

Me: So is it difficult to take what you do at home out on the road?

Scott: Oh absolutely! It has gotta change, because those are very different lives.

Me: So, do you have recycling bins on the bus?

Scott: Yeah, we do recycle as much as we can. But, for example, if you fill the front lounge area with water bottles everybody’s agitated and angry because there are water bottles everywhere, so you have to be smart about it. Right, Dane? (Scott laughs and looks over to Dane who is sitting in the corner). Dane is our tour manager. He has to keep up with us, so he’s definitely aggravated (as he chuckles). No, but honestly, we all try to stay really aware about that kind of stuff.

Me: Beyond the little things you do to stay “green” in your personal life, you all played two very cool shows last year that really helped out local farms in Portland, OR and the CFSA in NC. Those types of shows are obviously very important to The Avett Brothers. Do you have to search out those opportunities or are they typically just presented to you?

Scott: Yes, those are very important to us, and they typically come to us more so these days because there is more money generated with more fans. We don’t typically have to go searching for it, but if there is a specific cause we want to help with, we will go after it.

Me: You have done a lot with the tornado relief efforts recently. How have those experiences been for you all?

Scott: That is really the least we can do, and definitely have not done enough. There’s nothing that is going to change the terrible nature of that except for time. We are so lucky to be able to do something that we enjoy, and we don’t deserve it anymore than anybody else. To truly want to help people…to honestly want to do that, it can’t be taxed, not in the literal sense of the word taxed, but to order or direct someone to help people is not real, it’s not honest, and it’s not sustainable. If we are fortunate enough to have such an enjoyable life, these opportunities, and these great moments, we need to remember how grateful we should be without someone ordering us or demanding that we share that. We need to share that. The moment we stop doing that, than it’s all poisoned. We remind each other of that and try to keep that presence about us now that we are moving. The wheels are turning…there is a backlog now. There’s no turning back. There’s no stopping. So we have to just share, if it’s good feelings or a couple of bucks, it just has to be done.

Me: I think that you have a great influence on your fan base, who you really make feel like family. That feeling really spreads.

Scott: Well, we all are [family]. When people refer to us as “family oriented people” or “family matters”, to look at it thoroughly and in detail, it’s not about my brother and my dad and my mom and daughter. It’s beyond that, and it’s a much bigger unit, the family. It’s the world.

photo by Lucky Soul Photography (c)

Me: From your perspective can you feel how powerful that is? Do you feel how much influence you have on making people happy and how that is passed on to others? If you go on and read the boards, it’s pretty amazing!

Scott: (big laugh) Well, I don’t read the boards, but I am told. But it has to be one step at a time. If I harness that as a big picture like you are saying, it’s dangerous for me. So, one day at a time and I will take your word for it. I am glad to hear that, and I hear it from other people. That is terrific. I just try to keep it in perspective. If there is something we can do today, that is great. If not, hopefully tomorrow there will be. There is always something it is just a matter of if you have the energy to go out and seek it.

Me: Does that ever feel like a burden?

Scott: (emphatically) No. No. We are not ministers or part of the Red Cross or anything, so we’re not burdened by that type of service. Even though it might end up translating into that eventually, indirectly. We get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Hopefully, it’s just in harmony with all of that.

Me: How did you all get paired up with John Oates for your Vermont show last night?

Scott: We worshiped Hall and Oates when we were kids. I mean I worshiped him! I mean that was as big as Bob Dylan any day of the week to me. Not to a lot of people, but their music when I was 8 years old was forming who I am right now. So he just asked if we wanted to do something. So we said let’s do it! He asked if we wanted to do one of our songs or their songs and we said neither, let’s just do a Bob Dylan tune!

Me: Cool! Well, besides maybe a guest appearance from Nicole Atkins today, any other surprises for today’s set?

Scott: Well…Simon Felice is around here somewhere but I’m not sure if he will make it on stage with us. He’s a terrific guy. He recorded with us on I and Love and You.

Me: Finally, I read a quote from Bob somewhere that the new album isn’t due out until the end of next year?

Scott: Oh no, no… I don’t know when it’s due. That would be pretty late. We are well in the process of it and well passed the halfway mark. If it maintains we would finish the record this year. It’s just a matter of when and how it will come out.

Me: Well we are all looking forward to hearing it.

Scott: Thank you. Thank you very much.

We finished the interview with a hand shake, some smiles, and well wishes. A few hours later the entire mountain, sprinkled with both old and new Avett fans, had the privilege of witnessing one of the most energetic and magnetic sets of the weekend. While their set featured several songs from their I and Love and You album, we did get a few old favorites from their albums Four Thieves Gone and Emotionalism, along with a guest appearance from their dear friend Simon Felice and an encore Dylan cover to top it off. The Avett Brothers continue their tour throughout the US and Europe well into the Fall, so check them if they come anywhere near you. Trust me, you will leave as one of the family, and it’s a pretty cool family to be a part of if I do say so myself.

For more information about the band, please pay a visit to their website. I must end with a huge “thank you” to Dane Honeycutt for arranging the interview, and to the gracious Scott Avett for taking the time to chat with me.

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June 26, 2011 · 6:00 pm

June’s Music Mindblower

The poor state of Alaska has been burdened by a bad reputation thanks to Sarah Palin for a few years now, but that is about to change.  Hailing from Wasilla, Alaska, Portugal. The Man is a not-so-new indie rock band that is finally gaining some well-deserved attention, especially on the festival circuit.  Since the band’s inception in 2004, they have released several albums and EPs on various labels.  Now signed with Atlantic, their 7th album, In the Mountain In the Cloud, is being released July 19th.  Their new songs evoke a psychedelic rock feel which is complimented by lead vocalist John Gourley’s dream-weaving voice, leaving listeners in an altered musical state of mind.  I had the pleasure of witnessing the raw live energy of Portugal. The Man at Mountain Jam Music Festival earlier this month.  Portugal. The Man took the small west stage by storm with hard guitar licks and a unique west coast sound.  They are sure to be a headliner next year.  Check out snippets from their new album on their website and see what you think!

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